Demonstration after Grenfell Tower fire, 16.6.17, photo by James Ivens (Click to enlarge)

After Grenfell - Join the fight for safe homes

Paula Mitchell, London Socialist Party

Grenfell two weeks on...

As survivors, local residents and workers struggle to come to terms with what happened at Grenfell and begin the fight for justice, so many more issues are raised. So too for residents of tower blocks around the country.

Rehouse survivors locally - take over empty property

Most immediately for survivors, of course, is dealing with the horrific trauma itself. This is made worse by the continuing failure of Kensington and Chelsea council, shoving some survivors from pillar to post, splitting up families and evicting them from hotels.

In reality the homes on offer are already designated as "affordable" and without access to the luxury facilities - known colloquially as having "poor doors." In any case, they do not meet the number required.

Spend the £300 million council stash!

The belief that the Tories are not doing enough goes on, with just £5 million provided by the government.

The chief exec of the council has been the sacrificial lamb. But we have to demand not just that council leaders resign, but that the £300 million is immediately used!

Local issues that need urgent action include the ongoing lack of heating and hot water for the blocks around Grenfell, which came from boilers in the basement of the tower.

And residents around the tower are still asking if their homes are safe from the destruction of the tower itself, given that nearby tube stations were closed for safety reasons. They have been left in their homes without information.

No cover-ups! Jail the killers

Fear of a cover-up is much wider than that of course, as criminal prosecutions begin and the dreadful dealings start to be exposed. In the view of many, this was corporate murder.

It has come out that Arconic, the company that supplied the panels, had 'rules' that the polyethylene-filled cladding was not suitable for buildings over ten metres high. Yet it knowingly sold them to the contractor refurbishing Grenfell Tower.

It turns out that ex-chairman Derek Myers is a former chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea council.

And ex-trustee Tony Rice is chair of Xerxes Equity, the sole owner of Omnis Exteriors - the company that sold the cladding used on the tower.

Residents rightly demand full disclosure: impound the council's documents, seize computers and remove shredders so that nothing can be destroyed.

In addition to the inquests, we demand an independent workers' inquiry, led by trade unions and residents, which would not cover up crimes and failings in the interests of protecting profit and the profiteers.

Fight for safety everywhere

The response of authority at all levels around the country seems to be an unholy mix of paralysis and panic, as clearly they fear a rebellion if they are exposed.

Damningly, every block tested so far has failed on some fire safety requirement. The government must commit to funding, and councils mustn't wait - do the work now and demand the government underwrites it!

No safety - no rent!

But of course it's not just about testing cladding. Where safety checks are happening, they reveal broken and missing fire doors, gas problems, and inadequate fire alarm systems and escape routes - aside from the fact that only 1% of blocks have sprinklers.

How do we know if an estate is safe? Tenant organisation is vital - trade unions should help build joint action.

No to council "drop-ins" to dissipate people's concerns over tea and biscuits - we demand full accountability and public debate.

We suggest that residents organise to demand immediate fire safety checks and for all information regarding materials and checks to be made public on landlords' websites.

If this is not forthcoming, we need to fight - including being prepared to withhold the rent.

If it is really necessary to rehouse residents temporarily while emergency work is done, alternative accommodation must be suitable to the needs of residents. Many are older, or have young children, or pets.

Demolition, regeneration and social cleansing

Some people, understandably including some directly affected by the Grenfell disaster, want tower blocks demolished.

But we have to be wary of those calls being backed by property speculators who see an opportunity.

Land is handed over to the private sector, existing tenants and leaseholders are shunted out with little right of return, and working class areas become gentrified. Grenfell-area residents have rightly demanded that the land remains in public hands.

On their wishes, and only on their wishes, the council demolished tower blocks to build council houses.

As an absolute minimum there should be a moratorium on all regeneration until safety is assured and open to public scrutiny, and until residents have the right to vote.

Capitalism kills

This terrible tale of profit before working class lives is an indictment of all the policies of privatisation, cuts and deregulation pursued by Tory and New Labour administrations at national and local level.

All those right-wing Blairites who gleefully pursued the policies of their Tory masters - of sell-offs of housing, privatisation of public land, demolition and regeneration leading to social cleansing, replacement of council control with 'arm's-length management organisations' - should hang their heads in shame.

Any councillors not prepared to stand up to Tory cuts should step aside for those who will.

The tragedy exposes the effects of privatisation and savage cuts to health and safety, research, and of course to fire and health services.

Deregulation of housing included reduced rules for housing associations, and the relaxation of planning rules.